Have you ever wondered why English has more than one word for the same thing? Why the meat of a sheep is called 'mutton'? Or what 'velcroid' means?If you would like to find out more about words, but don't know where to begin, then 'Lexis' is for you. Written in a lively, easy-to-read style it covers:- What we mean by a person's vocabulary- How to improve your knowledge and understanding of words- How to get your message across by using words effectively- How to fit your language to different social situations- The history of English words- New words and how they are formed- The grammar of wordsPlus a reference section covering:- Word classes- Words that are commonly confused- Prefixes- Suffixes- Glossary of technical terms- Resources in print and onlineJohn Seely is the author of the best-selling 'Oxford A-Z of Grammar and Punctuation' and 'The Oxford Guide to Effective Writing and Speaking'.